Irvin Cardona
 Cardona with Saint-Étienne in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Irvin Charly Jose Cardona | ||
| Date of birth | 8 August 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Nîmes, France | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Saint-Étienne | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2012 | Le Pontet | ||
| 2012–2017 | Monaco | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Monaco B | 21 | (15) |
| 2017–2019 | Monaco | 3 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | → Cercle Brugge (loan) | 35 | (12) |
| 2019–2023 | Brest | 99 | (18) |
| 2022 | Brest B | 2 | (1) |
| 2023–2025 | FC Augsburg | 13 | (1) |
| 2023–2025 | FC Augsburg II | 2 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Saint-Étienne (loan) | 19 | (8) |
| 2024–2025 | → Espanyol (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2025 | → Saint-Étienne (loan) | 15 | (5) |
| 2025– | Saint-Étienne | 10 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015 | France U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | France U20 | 7 | (2) |
| 2025– | Malta | 4 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:55, 25 October 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:30, 12 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Irvin Charly Jose Cardona (born 8 August 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Ligue 2 club Saint-Étienne. Born in France, he plays for the Malta national team.[1]
Club career
[edit]Monaco
[edit]Cardona made his professional debut on 2 February 2017 in the Coupe de France round of 32 against Chambly. He replaced Pierre-Daniel N'Guinda after 78 minutes in a 5–4 away win.[2] He made his Ligue 1 debut ten days later coming on for Radamel Falcao to play the last 9 minutes of a 5–0 home thrashing of Metz.[3]
Cercle Brugge (loan)
[edit]On 18 July 2017, Cardona extended his Monaco contract until 2021 and was immediately loaned to the club's Belgian satellite club Cercle Brugge for the following season.[4] Although he missed a couple of weeks by an injury, he still was a major key player in the team that became champion of the 2017–18 Belgian First Division B. He scored an important penalty in the last minute in the champion's game against Beerschot-Wilrijk.[5] He was voted second best player in the league, after teammate Xavier Mercier.[6]
Brest
[edit]On 12 August 2019, Cardona signed with Ligue 1 promotees Brest.[7] On 13 September 2020, he scored an acrobatic volley goal in a 2–0 away win over Dijon which was described as a "Puskás Award contender."[8][9]
FC Augsburg
[edit]On 18 January 2023, Cardona signed a contract with German club FC Augsburg until 30 June 2027.[10]
Loan to Saint-Étienne
[edit]On 3 January 2024, Cardona returned to France, joining Ligue 2 club Saint-Étienne on loan with an option-to-buy.[11]
Loan to Espanyol
[edit]On 10 August 2024, Cardona moved on a new loan to Espanyol in La Liga.[12]
Return to Saint-Étienne
[edit]On 28 January 2025, Cardona returned to Saint-Étienne on a new loan, with an option to buy.[13] On 2 June 2025, Saint-Étienne exercised the option to buy and signed a three-year contract with Cardona.[14]
International career
[edit]Born in France, Cardona is of Maltese descent through a great-grandfather. He is a former youth international for France, having played up to the France U20s.
On 28 August 2025, he was called up to the Malta national team upcoming games in September.[15] He made his debut on 4 September 2025, in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification against Lithuania which ended in a 1–1 draw.[16]
On 9 September 2025, on his second cap, he scored his first international goal with Malta, the opener in a 3–1 friendly win against San Marino. Before half-time, Cardona was sent off following an altrecation with Filippo Berardi.[17]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Monaco B | 2015–16 | CFA | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17 | CFA | 17 | 14 | — | — | — | 17 | 14 | ||||
| Total | 21 | 15 | — | — | — | 21 | 15 | |||||
| Monaco | 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Cercle Brugge (loan) | 2017–18 | Belgian First Division B | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 2[b] | 1 | 18 | 8 | |
| 2018–19 | Belgian First Division A | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 6 | |||
| Total | 35 | 12 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 38 | 14 | |||
| Brest | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | — | 23 | 7 | |
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 8 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 4 | |||
| 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | |||
| Total | 99 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 106 | 19 | |||
| Brest B | 2021–22 | Championnat National 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| FC Augsburg | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||||
| FC Augsburg II | 2023–24 | Regionalliga | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| Saint-Étienne(loan) | 2023–24 | Ligue 2 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[c] | 2 | 22 | 10 | |
| RCD Espanyol(loan) | 2024–25 | La Liga | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 18 | 2 | ||
| Saint-Étienne(loan) | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 5 | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | |||
| Saint-Étienne | 2025–26 | Ligue 2 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 235 | 64 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 254 | 70 | ||
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue
- ^ Appearances in Belgian First Division B promotion play-offs
- ^ One appearance and one goal in the Ligue 2 promotion play-offs, two appearances and one goal in the Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs
International
[edit]- As of match played 12 October 2025[1]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | 2025 | 4 | 1 |
| Total | 4 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Malta's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cardona goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 September 2025 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta |  San Marino |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Honours
[edit]Monaco
Cercle Brugge
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Irvin Cardona at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "Chambly vs. Monaco - 1 February 2017 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ^ "Monaco vs. Metz - 11 February 2017 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ^ "Monaco prolonge Irvin Cardona et le prête au Cercle de Bruges" (in French). L'Équipe. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ jtp. "Thriller met erg bittere afloop voor Beerschot Wilrijk: Cercle Brugge naar 1A na penalty in slotminuut". Gazet van Antwerpen.
- ^ "Best Player of Proximus League: Xavier Mercier". jupilerproleague.be. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
- ^ "Transferts : Irvin Cardona (Monaco) à Brest jusqu'en 2023". L'Équipe.
- ^ Rayson, Zac (14 September 2020). "Irvin Cardona scores Puskas award contender with incredible volley". foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "Ligue 1: Brest's Irvin Cardona scores incredible Puskas Award contender vs Djon". Give Me Sport. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ "FCA sign Irvin Cardona". Augsburg. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ "Communiqué officiel : Irvin Cardona est Stéphanois" [Official announcement: Irvin Cardona is Stéphanois] (in French). AS Saint-Étienne. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Cardona, nou jugador del RCD Espanyol" [Cardona, new RCD Espanyol player] (in Catalan). Espanyol. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Irvin Cardona goes green again!". AS Saint-Étienne. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "Irvin Cardona définitivement Vert" [Irvin Cardona definitely Green] (in French). AS Saint-Étienne. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Irvin Cardona devient international". SOFOOT.com. 29 August 2025.
- ^ "Malta earns a point in Kaunas". 4 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
- ^ "Watch: Malta ease past San Marino as coach De Leo secures first win". Times of Malta Sports. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "Irvin Cardona » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
External links
[edit]- Irvin Cardona at the French Football Federation (in French)
- Irvin Cardona at the French Football Federation (archived) (in French)
- Irvin Cardona at L'Équipe Football (in French)